Using AI to find menu gaps: USC adds five-week cycle, lifts plant-based to 18%
USC Campus Dining introduced a five-week menu cycle shared across its three residential dining halls, spread plant-based dishes through every serving line after a dedicated station went underused, and is cutting added salt and sugar. Executive chef Edward Rodriguez told the Daily Trojan that plant-based items now make up about 18% of food production, up from about 7%, and that the team uses an AI tool, alongside dietitians, to spot gaps in cuisine diversity and dietary options. About 20 Jain recipes are in development for next year.
Why it matters for directors: An AI review of your menu can show which cuisines and diets you under-serve before students complain. Moving plant-based items into the main lines, instead of giving them a separate station, can raise uptake without adding SKUs.
Original source: Daily Trojan ↗